Alpha-2-adrenoreceptors in depressed suicide attempters: Relationship withmedical lethality of the attempt

Several lines of evidence tend to suggest a role for noradrenaline, and mor e specifically alpha-2-adrenoreceptors, in the biology of suicidal behavior . The purpose of this study was to assess the growth hormone (GH) response to clonidine, an alpha-2-adrenergic agonist, in majorly depressed inpatient s with a history of highly lethal suicide attempt compared to depressed pat ients with a history of low lethal suicide attempt and nonattempters, Our s ample included 20 male depressed inpatients with a history of suicide attem pt compared to 20 male depressed nonattempters. We did not observe any sign ificant difference between suicide attempters and nonattempters for GH peak values (2.4 +/- 2.9 vs. 4.1 +/- 3.7 ng/ml; F = 2.52, d.f. = 1, 38, p = 0.1 2). Moreover, GH peak responses to clonidine were not related to the degree of lethality of the attempt. The results of the present study do not suppo rt a major role for noradrenaline in the biology of suicidal behavior. Copy right (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.